When It Was Cool Wrestling (DragonKingKarl)

WhenItWasCool.com•www.whenitwascool.com

For all shows visit our Patreon page - https://www.patreon.com/wiwcool Pro wrestling history. WWE, WCW, NWA, AEW, NXT, NJPW, TNA, Impact, ROH, AWA, ECW, and the pioneer era of pro wrestling. Karl Stern (DragonKingKarl) is a pro wrestling historian who has produced the DragonKingKarl Classic Wrestling Audio Show for over 15 years at Wrestling Observer. This is the free version of some of the pro wrestling podcasts we produce at When It Was Cool. There is much more available to Patreon supporters and there are over 2500 shows available for subscribers. Enjoy these free shows for a deep dive into pro wrestling history and we hope if you enjoy these shows you will become a Patreon supporter and gain access to many others. Ric Flair, Hulk Hogan, Steve Austin, Frank Gotch, William Muldoon, Lou Thesz, Bruno Sammartino, Strangler Lewis, Farmer Burns, Bob Armstrong, Ron Fuller, Jerry Lawler, The Rock, Chris Jericho, Andre the Giant, Dusty Rhodes, and hundreds more are discussed.

Last refreshed: August 20th, 2025 at 9:01 AM ⓘ

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Episodes

Wrestling Presidents - 1000 Hours

Pro wrestling historian and author Karl Stern (DragonKingKarl) returns with the 1000 Hours podcast series which looks at pre-1900 pro wrestling. On this episode, a listener has requested a look at the facts verses mythology about United States Presidents who have legitimately wrestled. We have already previously cover Abraham Lincoln in episode one but here we look also at George Washington (whom we have newspaper accounts of wrestling), Andrew Jackson (who we have some stories about), plus at l...

Apr 29, 2024•55 min

MSG History, Bruno Sammartino, and more!

On this episode of the DragonKingKarl Classic Wrestling Show, host Karl Stern continues his look at wrestling history at Madison Square Garden in New York in the year 1931, he also continues his look back at Dave Meltzer's epic biography on the life and times of Bruno Sammartino from the pages of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter, plus tons of news and notes. More pro wrestling history than you can shake a preverbal stick at!

Apr 14, 2024•45 min

Strangler Lewis, Bruno Sammartino, and More

On this edition of the DragonKingKarl Classic Wrestling Show, historian Karl Stern takes a look at a great retro article from a 1972 wrestling magazine asking the question if Ed "Strangler" Lewis was the greatest wrestler of all time. Then we continue taking a look at Dave Meltzer's biography of Bruno Sammartino from the pages of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter plus much more!

Apr 09, 2024•48 min

Great Lakes Wrestling in the Pioneer Era - 1000 Hours

The pioneer era (pre-1900) of pro wrestling flourished in the Great Lakes area. While initially the northeast, especially New York and Vermont were the early hotspots, by 1970 Detroit, Chicago, Cleveland, and the entire Great Lakes region became very important in pro wrestling. The 1870 Detroit International tournament was a real ignition point for the popularity of pro wrestling nationwide and the Detroit Opera House became a shrine for the genesis of American pro wrestling. Join historian Karl...

Apr 07, 2024•55 min

Long Form History of Wrestling Podcast - April 1984 (Patera and Saito Arrest)

Wrestling historian Karl Stern returns with another in-depth look at a month in pro wrestling history. Today he looks back at April 1984 and a lot was going on. The WWF was accelerating their national expansion by stealing the AWA's TV spot on the west coast, Jumbo Tsuruta is still the AWA World champion, and a new monster named Lord Humongous is challenging Jerry Lawler in Memphis, but the big news of the month happened in Waukesa, WI when Mr. Saito and Ken Patera fought multiple police officer...

Apr 02, 2024•50 min

Wrestling in the Biblical Era - 1000 Hours

It's Easter Sunday and by serendipity, Eric, the sponsor of this episode of 1000 Hours, asks for the research topic to be wrestling in the Bible. Well, one of the most famous stories in the Bible both for Christians and Jews is the story of Jacob wrestling with the angel, or a man, or God himself (the story is complicated). Of course, by the time we get to the Christian era the Romans are in charge and wrestling is very much a big deal. Also, I finally have an excuse to talk about Milo of Croton...

Mar 31, 2024•54 min

Sting, The Rock, Strangler Lewis, Bruno Sammartino

On this episode of the DragonKingKarl Classic Wrestling Show with Karl Stern we take a look at the next match in the GKT: Sting verses The Rock, we begin a massive biography on the life and times of Bruno Sammartino, and we start an article from an early 1970's wrestling magazine on Ed "Strangler" Lewis. A fun and history packed edition of the DragonKingKarl Classic Wrestling Show, check us out and let's talk some wrestling history.

Mar 26, 2024•54 min

Pre-Hackenschmidt Russian Wrestling - 1000 Hours

The sponsor of today's 1000 Hours podcast, the podcast all about the pioneer era of pro wrestling, has asked for research on wrestling in Russia before George Hackenschmidt. Interestingly, wrestling in Russia came relatively late in the pioneer era and George Hackenschmidt became its biggest star but there were others. Today we look at the early stars of Russian wrestling and how it originally developed as an import from Poland and France. YOU CONTROL THIS SERIES! It will only run as long as it ...

Mar 24, 2024•1 hr

GKT Bracket, Road Warriors, MSG History

This week pro wrestling historian Karl Stern takes a look at more wrestling history from Madison Square Garden in New York with more on Jim Londos as the world champion, the remaining bracket for the Greatest Kayfabe Tournament (GKT) is discussed, a 1980's wrestling magazine article on The Road Warriors in Japan, and the life and death of Rex King from the Southern Rockers/Well Dunn tag team. All this and more wrestling history from DragonKingKarl.

Mar 19, 2024•57 min

The Strongmen of the Pioneer Era - 1000 Hours

Strongmen and pro wrestling go hand in hand. Who can forget the muscled up 1980s? Yet, the more things change, the more they stay the same. In the pioneer era of wrestling, your proto-strongmen and bodybuilders were also featured alongside and inside professional wrestling. On this episode of 1000 Hours, the podcast all about the pioneer era of wrestling, historian Karl Stern takes a look at such pioneering strongmen and their relation to pro wrestling such as Eugen Sandow, Louis Cyr, and George...

Mar 17, 2024•1 hr 8 min

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